“Or maybe you already have.” I assumed.
His head was cast down but his eyes rose hooded and locked with mine.
“Do you remember our parents talking about Gabby’s so-called friends?”
“Yes,”
“One of those girls, Bella, when she turned eighteen we found out that we were mated. Gabby has no idea,” holy shit. He was mated to the girl that treated his sister like shit?
“You’re one to talk’
I’m rectifying my mistakes
‘Maybe she tried that too’
“Are you two mated?” His shoulders jumped from the silent laughter.
“You think I’m gonna be with a girl who used and abused my sister?”
“What happened?” I asked, hoping he would tell me. We all had a drink in our hands and had been drinking all night. We had emptied three bottles of scotch and just opened the fourth.
“We sensed each other that very same day out in town. A few humans had accidentally driven into our town and I was walking down there to help them. Bella sensed the mate bond and if you could’ve seen the joy on that bitch’s face you would’ve died. She really thought that she was going to be Luna. The second she jumped in my arms, I pushed her off and rejected her in front of everyone.” He stopped and cracked his knuckles. His eyes rose and he stared deep into my fucking soul with blackened eyes.
“If I’m being honest, that’s what I hoped Gabby would do to you.”
The initial jerking reaction of me wanting to beat him was staggered when I realized that I understood. Bella had treated Gabby like shit and so had I and I was mated to her.
There was no difference between the girls Gabby had encountered in her life who all went above and beyond to abuse her generosity, take advantage of her family’s dysfunctional relationship and then toss her aside when she no longer served them.
The only difference I could possibly see in me and them was that I was the one person on this planet meant to not hurt her.
It was supposed to be me who protected her and showed her that there was such a thing as genuine love but I hadn’t and that hurt. If anybody had proven to Gabby how she deserves to be treated, besides her brothers, it was Casandra.
“I don’t any longer though.” I looked at Nick.
Noah and Edmund were sitting quietly watching between us.
Any moment that those two were silent for even a second was a clear sign that things were serious.
They knew when to back down and it was usually when Nick talked.
“You’ve proven yourself the last couple of months. It shows that you care about Gabby and that you are trying to make things right. And she obviously cares about you.”
There was a woven web of uncertainty clustered around all of us. The more it tightened the more suffocating it was and looking past the easygoing talk, everyone was on the verge of choking.
I heard footsteps entering the room and looked over Cassy’s guilt-ridden face.
“What’s wrong?”
“This just came but you’re not gonna like it.” She handed over an envelope.
“Did a messenger come with it?” She shook her head and took a seat on the couch next to the guys.
Her pink cardigan hung from her shoulder and she pulled It up.
“No it was mailed to my parent’s house,”
Cassy had already ripped open the seal and I pulled out the little letter, unfolding it and reading it out loud.
“There are new rules to the bet. You will have one week to gather your warriors and teach them what they need to know. will do the same. I already have the girl- thanks for that by the way- and after the one-week mark, I will come for my title.
Whoever decides to fight with you will do so but after I am done and the pack is mine, those who oppose me will be ended. I graciously give this warning so that your people can choose for themselves what is more important. Their loyalty or their lives. It was nice to meet you, Cassandra, we had fun.
Please pass this along to my brother after you have read it.
Until we meet again.”
“The fucker lied,” Noah growled.
“Are you surprised? He wants what I have. He wants my life because he thinks it is his and that I wrongly took it from him.
Asher wants my mate and he wants my title and I welcome him to try and get it,” Edmund leaned back and furrowed his brows.
“So he’s coming?”
“No. We’re gonna go to him.”
“What do you mean?” Cassy asked me and cupped her hands.
“He thinks that because he has Gabby we will go along with anything he says. Asher will believe that he has the upper hand now and that I will gather my warriors, prepare them and then sit and wait for him to attack. He thinks we’re sitting ducks waiting to be slaughtered. That was his gameplay with Gabby, he wanted leverage,”
“And he has it. Asher has her so why not just do what he says so she doesn’t get hurt?” Cassy asked and I could hear the frustration in her voice.
“Because we can go in with a surprise attack. He won’t see it coming, he’ll be caught off guard and our chances will be even better. I’m guaranteeing us a win.”
“And if he comes? We’re not gonna win then?” She asked and frowned.
“We would win that too but a lot more people would die for it.”
Cassy nodded her head slowly and her eyes fell. This was it, it would all end. I would kill my brother, and get my girl back and everything would fall as it was meant.
“I’m gonna go for a walk,” Cassy said and got up. Not long after, Noah got up as well and Nick headed away to talk to the warriors that his parents had brought with them.
“Do you have an actual plan or is this more of a charge and hope for the best type of thing?” Edmund asked me. He of course stuck around here, because apparently, my headache wasn’t bad enough already.
“I have a plan.” I said and glowered at him.
“Which is?” A smugness rose in me.
“I’m not gonna tell you yet.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because you’re sleeping with the enemy, how do I know you won’t accidentally spill your guts to her while she’s sucking your dick.”
“You’re the one who told me to fuck her!” He screamed and rose to his feet. I laughed and stood.
“I know and I do thank you for your service but that doesn’t mean that you’re not in between the enemy and us. I’m sorry but you’ll know about the plan when I know for sure that you can’t fuck it up.” I said.
“You suck.”
“I know.” I said and patted his shoulder.
Edmund slapped it away and growled.